WBC Page 3 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Spring training roundup: Late HR lifts Blue Jays over Canada
Riley Tirotta belted a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth inning to propel the Toronto Blue Jays to a 10-7 victory over Canada's national team on Tuesday in a World Baseball Classic tune-up game in Dunedin, Fla.,Jesus Sanchez had two hits and drove in three runs, and Nathan Lukes added a two-run...

Mets RHP Nolan McLean (vertigo) day-to-day, expects to make WBC start
Mets right-hander Nolan McLean has improved following vertigo-like symptoms that put his availability for the World Baseball Classic in doubt. ,McLean, scheduled to start Game 4 for Team USA in the finale of pool play in Houston, said on Tuesday he is greatly improved since first falling ill on Frid...

Report: 8 members of Cuba’s WBC traveling party denied entry to U.S.
Eight members of Cuba's World Baseball Classic traveling party have been denied entry into the United States, The Athletic reported.,The denied parties do not include any of the players on Team Cuba, which expects to be fully intact at 30-strong for this month's tournament event.,Those affected incl...

Yankees LHP Ryan Yarbrough joins U.S. roster for WBC
New York Yankees left-hander Ryan Yarbrough was added to the Team USA roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic on Sunday.,The 34-year-old reliever replaces Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, who is dealing with low back tightness. Ryan moves into the designated pitcher pool, meaning he is ...

Padres LHP Yuki Matsui (groin) to miss WBC for Japan
San Diego Padres reliever Yuki Matsui will not pitch for Japan in next month's World Baseball Classic due to a groin injury.,The 30-year-old left-hander was ruled out Thursday, about a week after experiencing tightness in his left groin in a batting practice session at spring training.,"It's pretty ...

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal plans to pitch just once for US in WBC
Two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will be making his World Baseball Classic debut next month for the U.S. with some caveats.,Skubal told reporters after his spring-training debut Monday that he plans on making just one start in WBC group play, which begins March 5, before returni...

Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (probably) won't pitch for Japan in WBC
Shohei Ohtani exited spring training camp with a virtual handle-with-care tag as the Dodgers' two-way star commits his talents to helping Japan win a fourth World Baseball Classic. Well, most of his talents anyway.,Ohtani's next step in his return to being a two-way player full-time this season does...

Padres LHP Yuki Matsui (groin) ailing, could affect WBC availability
Padres left-hander Yuki Matsui experienced tightness in his left groin during a batting practice session on Thursday and is considered day to day, San Diego manager Craig Stammen said Friday.,Matsui had to halt the session after roughly 20 pitches and the club subsequently scratched him from his sch...

Javier Baez on WBC suspension for failed test: 'All my fault'
Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez accepted responsibility for a positive marijuana test in 2023, which barred him from competing in the upcoming World Baseball Classic in his native Puerto Rico.,"Honestly, I don't want to point fingers at anybody, because this is all my fault," Baez said in his f...

Angels OF Mike Trout unable to get insurance to play in 2026 WBC
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout is the latest player who won't be participating in the World Baseball Classic because of an inability to get his major league contract covered by insurance.,Trout, 34, told reporters that he wouldn't be able to once again represent the U.S. in the 2026 WBC as...

Tigers' Javier Baez won't play in 2026 WBC due to marijuana use
Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez is not eligible to play for Puerto Rico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic due to his ongoing suspension for marijuana use, multiple media outlets reported on Friday.,Baez, 33, tested positive for the substance on March 12, 2023. The three-time All-Star recei...

U.S. loads World Baseball Classic roster with MVPs, Cy Young Award winners
The United States finalized its roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Thursday, locking in a group that features both reigning Cy Young Award winners, multiple Most Valuable Players and retired Los Angeles Dodgers icon Clayton Kershaw.,Most players already had confirmed their plans to compet...

Report: Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve out of WBC after insurance denial
Houston Astros standouts Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa will not represent their countries in March's World Baseball Classic because they were not able to receive insurance on their major league contracts for the event, according to a report from The Athletic.,Correa, who hasn't represented his nativ...

Clayton Kershaw, Alex Bregman to represent Team USA in WBC
Clayton Kershaw is returning to the mound after all.,Months removed from announcing his retirement from Major League Baseball, Kershaw will represent the United States in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Team USA on Thursday announced the news on Kershaw, who will be pitching in the event for th...

Clayton Kershaw to represent Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Clayton Kershaw is returning to the mound after all.,Months removed from announcing his retirement from Major League Baseball, Kershaw will represent the United States in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Team USA on Thursday announced the news on Kershaw, who will be pitching in the event for th...

Phillies' Bryce Harper to play for Team USA in WBC
Two-time MVP Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies announced his commitment to Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Tuesday.,"Put the colors on my chest for the 1st time when I was 15. No other feeling like it," Harper posted on Instagram. "I'm excited to announce I will be representi...

WBC strips Terence Crawford of belt for failing to pay fees
Terence Crawford is no longer boxing's undisputed super middleweight champion after the WBC stripped him of his belt on Wednesday for failing to pay sanctioning fees.,WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman claims Crawford did not pay the mandatory fees to the sanctioning body for two consecutive fights, in...

Shohei Ohtani set to play for champion Japan again in WBC
Shohei Ohtani, a two-time World Series champion, will attempt to add a second World Baseball Classic title to his haul when he competes for the defending champion Japanese team again next year.,The 31-year-old two-way superstar made the announcement Monday on social media that he would again partici...

Fox to televise 2026 World Baseball Classic in U.S.
Fox Sports announced Tuesday it has secured American broadcast rights for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.,Seven games will air on the Fox network itself: three of the United States team's Pool B games, two quarterfinal matchups and the championship game, which is set for March 17 in Miami.,The rest...

Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. to play for Team USA in 2026 WBC
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. said Thursday that he will suit up for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.,Witt, 25, joins New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes as MLB players announced so far as participants on Team USA manager Mark DeRosa'...